


Stray Love

by SqueakyNinja



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-04
Updated: 2014-07-04
Packaged: 2018-02-07 11:02:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1896603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SqueakyNinja/pseuds/SqueakyNinja
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For some reason, Kakashi just cannot keep his eyes off of a particular barista working next door...</p><p><b>Contains (Highlight to view):</b> <span class="spoiler">Iruka briefly showing his sassy side and an awkward, love struck Kakashi</span></p><p><b>Prompt/Scenario:</b>  #27 by houkouonchi:  Kakashi is from a well to do family and refuses to take over his father’s company, instead he has opened a small independent bookstore. Next door is a small coffee shop where Iruka works as a barista.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stray Love

**Author's Note:**

> I fell for this due to the part about the vet school since it was once the profession I was trying to go for myself and what my beta reader is going for. We both enjoyed putting this piece together and hope you enjoy it.

Eyes peered over the pages of a dusty book, looking across the small coffee shop. The shop itself wasn’t that great. Yes, the frothing coffee did have a magnetized aroma to people. But it was tiny instead of huge. It was calm instead of hectic. It didn’t sell special, frothy drinks nor had large lounge chairs. The lighting inside wasn’t perfect, with a few of dim lights, a couple of them flickering. Yet, it wasn’t the handwriting on chalkboard about today’s specials or the homely theme of the shop that the eyes were attracted to. Instead, they hit their target: a tall, slim man working there. Skin tinted bronze and hair shaded brown. His eyes matching his hair and smile radiated a sense of tranquility and fondness. At least, in the eye of the beholder.

The beholder was another man, not much older but his grey hair didn’t help him appear young. Even his behavior, constantly standing outside the coffee shop peering in for minutes, gave him looks from others. Now he was actually sitting inside the shop beside a table, making an attempt to hide his gazing attempts at the one who attracted his attention. Yet, his fumbling effort to try to pretend to read from a book and his jittering legs caught some curious customers’ attention.

“Hey, it’s you! What are you doing back here?” the object of affection asked, walking over.

“Huh?!” the admirer gasped, being caught off by surprise, nearly dropping his book.

“I saw you earlier outside. You were just standing there, looking in,” he smiled sweetly. “Did you finally figure out what you wanted?” he pulled out a small receipt book from his apron.

“Um… I-I’ll just have a small cup of coffee. B-Black!” the other stuttered.

“Alright!” the brunet smiled as he quickly wrote it down.

The customer’s eyes though were on the barista’s name tag. ‘Iruka…’

“Did you need anything else?” Iruka asked.

“Huh?”

“You were just staring off. Did you want something to go with your coffee?”

“Oh! No, I’m good! Really good! Thank you!” he smiled and laughed wryly. “I was just thinking about… what I was just read!” he held his book up.

“What were you reading about?”

“Oh this?” he glanced it over. “Oh, n-nothing! Just a book about…” he glanced over to the cover, noticing it was upside down. “It-It’s about dogs!” he corrected himself, quickly turned it back over. 

He set it down on the table and propped up his arm, resting his chin in his hand. All while doing his best to stop fidgeting like a little child.

“Oh, really? Is it any good?!” Iruka pressed on with questions with excitement.

“Well… It just talks about breeds and… care and more,” he picked up the book and flipped through it.

“Can I take a look at-“

“Iruka! Orders!!” a loud booming voice barked from behind the counter.

“Oh! Coming!” he called back. “Sorry about that,” the barista apologized.

“It’s ok. If you want, you… you can come next door to take a look at it.” A part of him told him to take it back.

“Next door?”

“I… Uh… I, well, work… next door.” It yanked back on him to stop.

“At that new bookstore? I’ve been meaning to take a look around there. We’ve been getting a couple more customers coming straight from there, recently.”

“Oh really? That’s good! G-Good for business! Then maybe tonight! Tonight… you should… come by and visit?” Yet, words just spilled out of his mouth without any indication of stopping.

“Sure! I can come by tonight! My shift is over in about an hour. Will you still be open?”

“Of course!”

“Alright!” Iruka chuckled as he turned back and went on with the rest of his orders.

Instead though of waiting on his drink or linger around to see if he could further chat with this ‘Iruka’ more, the young man shot up from his seat, nearly toppling over his table, before stumbling out of the shop and back into his bookstore next door. It wasn’t large either. From the looks of it, it was probably just as tiny as the coffee shop inside. Yet, it did garner attention for the vast selection of different books, new and used, stuffed to the brim in diminutive shelves. Many more were scattered around on the floor but that didn’t turn people away. Instead, they managed, whether it was by sitting on the few chairs made available, parking themselves on small stands, or even lying on the ground. It didn’t matter where or how they made themselves comfortable. A good book would force anyone to do so.

‘What the hell is wrong with me…?’ he groaned low, leaning back on the door and sliding down.

“So you finally show your face here, Kakashi,” a bulky, rough man scoffed, drawing in a long puff from a cigarette and letting the smoke billow out from his mouth.

“You know there is no smoking in here, Asuma,” Kakashi groaned as he stood up on his feet. “Plus, I told Tenzou to-“

“He… kinda demanded to be let in even though you told me to close the store for a few minutes,” a meek employee poked his head out from behind the counter. “And I told you not to call me that! My name is Yamato!” he pulled on his nametag, showing it off. “See?!”

“One, I am your boss and I can call you whatever I please to,” the grey haired man stated as he approached the two.

“What?! You can’t just call me-“

“And two, what are you doing here?” Kakashi glanced up at the smoker, ignoring his employee’s groan and protests.

“Oh you know what I’m doing here…” Asuma sighed as he scratched his wild beard. “They’re asking for you. They’re waiting for you to come back and take over and close up shop here.”

“Close up shop? Now, why would I do that?” Kakashi smiled as he walked around the counter.

“That would mean kicking poor Tenzou here-“

“Yamato,” the worker murmured.

“Tenzou out on the street!” he placed his hands on Yamato’s shoulders. “You don’t want to do that, now do you?”

Asuma groaned low, flicking his cigarette in his mouth. “Kakashi, you’re not a child. You’re an adult. Twenty-six actually. So you need to start acting like it!” he growled, nearly causing Yamato to shake while Kakashi stood his ground. “Look, we all need to grow up some time. I had to when I knocked up Kurenai.”

“How are the missus and your daughter by any chance?” Kakashi inquired.

“T-They’re good,” the burly man balked. “But don’t change the subject! You have responsibilities, too! Live up to them!” he barked before spinning back on his heels and slammed the door on his way out.

Both the store owner and worker stumbled a little from the rough man’s appearance. 

“Ok…” Kakashi ruffled his worker’s russet-colored hair. “I would call that a day. You can go home now.”

“A-Alright…” Yamato nodded. “Um, excuse me, though. What was all of that about?”

“Oh… nothing you have to worry yourself about…” Kakashi smirked as he walked around the store, moving to one side by a window that had a decent view of the coffee shop next door.

~~~

The bookstore stood still that night. No one was roaming the aisles for a cook book or glancing from shelf to shelf for a good mystery. Yet, it was natural no one would be around if it was past store hours. The store was already declared closed for a good hour yet the lights still shined though. And Kakashi still stayed behind, resting his head and eyes on the front counter, continually waiting on someone to stumble on in.

‘Hmm… He’s not coming, is he?’ he thought, whining a little. ‘Of course, he wouldn’t! We close at eight and it’s already past nine! He probably knows when we close and figured that he could come back tomorrow or just go to another bookstore and buy their book there and probably meet someone there and chat with them and end up back at their place and-‘ Kakashi trailed on in his head for miles before the meek tingle from a bell jolted his attention to the door. “H-hey! You came!” he shouted happily as the barista from before walked in.

“I said I would, didn’t I?” Iruka smiled. “Sorry, I’m a little late. I had to close up. I did think this store closed earlier though…”

“Oh! No, no, no, no! W-We close at ten!” Kakashi chuckled, scratching the back of his head and walking out from the counter. “Oh! Here’s that book you wanted to see!” he reached for it and caught in his fingertips before having it drop flat on the floor. Quickly, he scooped it up off the floor but not before hearing the brunet’s soft chuckles.

“Thank you!” the barista walked over and took the book from the grey-haired man’s hands. 

“Wow, this looks really great!” he flipped through the pages, stopping at a few for viewing some anatomy shots. “How much?” he dug into his apron.

“Well… you, you can have that one on the house…” Kakashi mumbled.

“What? No, no! I insist! Please! Just tell me how much it is.” Iruka pulled out a wad of crumpled up dollar bills.

The other took immediate notice as he watched some bills descended to the ground. “…You know what? Think of it as my apology for leading you on from earlier,” Kakashi mentioned.

“Oh, yeah. I came back out with your coffee and you were gone,” the brunet pointed out. “I just figured you were running late on a break or something else. But that’s no reason to pay me back, it happens! Just like I need to make money, so do you.”

“Heh, trust me. Money is not an issue I worry about,” Kakashi smirked. “So just put your money away…” he muttered, stooping down and taking hold of some of the loose money.

“Please! Don’t give me that…” Iruka sighed, slightly agitated. “I can afford it! It’s not like I can’t!”

Kakashi blinked, a little stunned. This person standing before him was much different from the one he witnessed earlier this day. The barista earlier seemed kinder and innocent, maybe even to the point of being naïve. Yet, the young man located right in front of him now was more assertive and independent. 

“I-I’m not saying that. Not at all!”

“I’m not blind or oblivious!” Iruka argued, scowling. “Just tell me how much this book is or-“

He stopped mid sentence as loud bangs and bashes echoed outside, catching both men’s’ attention. They glanced at each other for a brief second before Kakashi took the lead outside and walked around to the small alley the bookstore and coffee shop both shared. In the distance, by the dumpsters, was a dark shadow, flailing and clawing in the air like a demon gremlin. The sound of scurrying and rummaging was still present as well as a bellowing roar, its presence only amplified with its echo. Both men slowly approached the strange figure, being extremely cautious. That is until the brunet dropped all inhibitions.

“Pakkun! Pakkun, what are you doing?” Iruka exclaimed as he rushed over, kneeling down, tending to the creature.

“Pak… kun?” Kakashi questioned as he slowly walked over and noticed that the little ‘gremlin’ they witnessed was none other than a small, ragged pug, whimpering and yelping at the barista. “…A dog?”

“Yeah… He’s a stray I found one night. I’ve been feeding him the old baked food from the shop when I take the garbage out.”

“…You willingly feed a stray dog? You’re not afraid of ticks or fleas or even rabies?” Kakashi asked, still confused.

“He doesn’t have rabies. And regardless of parasites, he still needs food. Besides, I do wash him down from time to time with the hose nearby,” Iruka explained.

“Then… how about you do it a favor and take him to a local shelter or bring him in?” Kakashi asked the obvious.

“ _He_ can’t go to a shelter,” the brunet stated firmly, scratching below Pakkun’s chin. “He’s not a young dog so he would most likely stay in a cramped cage until he’s put down for overcrowding.”

“Ok… So take him to a vet to check him out and bring him home,” the grey-haired man tried to explain a new solution.

“Can’t do that either… My apartment doesn’t allow animals. Plus, one of my roommates is allergic,” he sighed, petting Pakkun’s head. “He really is a good dog once you get to know him…”

Rational was obvious. The dog was a stray and needed shelter and care. The best place for that was for a shelter that had the tools and the people with knowledge on animal care. That was at least what anyone else would think about in their head. Yet, Kakashi wasn’t known to be rational when it came before the barista.

“… … …I could …take him in,” again, the words vomited from Kakashi’s mouth and had no intention of stopping.

“Huh? You could?!” the brunet’s eyes lit up.

“Yeah! I mean… I do have other dogs so he would have some company…” he stumbled with his voice. “But he still needs to be checked out! I’m not going to have an outbreak of fleas in my home!”

“Oh, no worries! He doesn’t have any fleas,” Iruka got up, holding the pug close to his chest. "I already have given him a dose of nitenpyram."

“You… what?”

~~~

“Heh, he seems to be doing better,” Iruka sat Pakkun on his lap and dried him off gently with a towel as he sat with Kakashi on the bed. The two sat together that night at Kakashi’s. It was decided that the dog was deemed fit to spend the night in a home before going in for the check up in the morning. It was also agreed that Kakashi would house the dog and pay for all the expenses, despite Iruka’s initial protests. Yet, what wasn’t agreed on in the first place was the barista taking a visit to the bookstore owner’s home. But a no was out of the question as, quoted from the brunet, he ‘wanted to see if the home Pakkun would be staying at was fit enough.’

Sure enough, it was a lot better than what he had imagined. Kakashi had a large and open home, with wood and tile floors, tall pure white walls, highly stylized furniture and décor that accentuated each room with a unique theme. It was impressive to look at but yet, it seemed empty despite everything that went into each room. From the cherry wood dining room set to the plush cushions on the couch in the living room, everything seemed too perfect. Everything seemed to be on display. It felt cold.

As Kakashi took Pakkun and bathed him in the tub with Iruka’s specific instructions on how to, the brunet continued to roam around the large home. He glanced over vacant bedrooms and through the kitchen with granite countertops to the backyard where he found that the bookstore owner was not lying when he said he had other dogs, witnessing them in the backyard. Seven others to be exact. 

The brunet was amazed by the vast assortment of animals in the home. At first, he was weary of them, fearing for Pakkun’s safety, especially around the massive bulldog known simply as Bull. Yet, while Kakashi took the pug from his possession and was giving him a good rinse and scrub, the barista took the time to get to know the other dogs. Much to his surprise, all of them were quite friendly, especially Bull.

The only room that felt alive was the bedroom. In that room, the bed wasn’t made or the clothes in a hamper but instead sprawled out on the floor. The desk was littered with sheets of legal papers and a couple of books. Iruka made the mistake of checking one of the books out before quickly placing it back in place with a heavy blush sprawled along his cheeks before the other came in smelling of wet dog.

“Just be sure when you bring back Pakkun from the vet with a clean bill of health that you introduce him to the other dogs slowly, no matter how friendly they are,” Iruka warned the other.

“Ok, ok, Dr. Iruka,” Kakashi chuckled. “With that kind of talk, you could pass for being a veterinarian!”

The brunet’s face lit up. “Really?! You think so?!”

“Um, yeah… “ Kakashi pondered a little, thinking back to the book and how the barista described his care for the pug and even the drug that he used. “Wait… Do you by any chance…”

“Yep, I want to become a veterinarian,” Iruka interrupted the other and grinned, bringing Pakkun up to his face and touched noses. “I always had a love for animals and wanted to care for them.”

“So that drug you used on the pug…”

“I got it from school one day after I told my professor about what was going on. Pakkun should be fine now but he should get a flea collar so keep pests off of him.”

“Uh huh… And me, a person with several dogs would not know this information because…”

“Oh! I’m sorry!” Iruka laughed, wryly. “My roommates have always told me that I act like a teacher. You know, like teaching others on how to do anything no matter what.”

“Hey, there is nothing wrong with that,” Kakashi smiled, finally starting to relax around the man he had been crushing on ever since he opened up his bookstore three months ago. Just sitting with him and chatting up like they were old friends helped, too. It made Kakashi see another side to Iruka he never knew or could have imagined. It made him want to know more. “You also have quite a temper when agitated,” he added on.

“Oh, you mean like at the store… Sorry about that…” the barista lowered his head. “I just don’t like others taking pity on me… You see, at a young age, I had to grow up really fast. One day I had parents and the next, I didn’t,” he murmured.

“I’m… sorry to hear that…” 

“It’s ok, it happened long ago, when I was ten,” Iruka turned his head to Kakashi and smiled. His gaze then went back down to the dog. “Things happen, you know? Luckily, this other family down the block took me in. They said it would be cute if their son had an older brother to look up to and play with.”

“Well, I’m sure both parents and your little brother are going to be proud of you when you do become a vet,” Kakashi grinned.

“Yeah, I know they will be,” Iruka chuckled. “It’s just taking a while. It’s hard trying to pay for everything myself. I’m lucky I got a grant and a few scholarships on my belt so tuition is fine. Just saving up money for the textbooks and studying for the tests…”

“Why not live with your adoptive parents?” Kakashi asked.

“They live in another town, too far to commute. And it’s not like my living expenses are a problem. I live with two friends and all they ask is that I chip in around the home and help pay for my share of the groceries. It’s just hard trying to afford things when you work at a small coffee shop and rely on tips,” he stretched his arms out and slowly leaned back on the bed. The pug took notice as he sauntered up to Iruka and licked his cheek.

“You know now because I’m taking in your dog, I’m going to have to change my sheets,” Kakashi laughed.

“Hey, Pakkun is clean!” Iruka laughed back. Both men had a good snicker for a good minute or so before the brunet spoke up. “So what about you? How can you afford a place like this?”

“Oh, this place? Well… Have you heard of the Hatake Corporation?”

“Yeah, they distribute a lot of medical equipment to hospitals and colleges nationwide. They largely help supply the college I go to with materials and equipment for the classes. Why do you ask?” Iruka asked, prompting himself up on his elbows.

“Well, what would you say if I told you that my last name is Hatake?” Kakashi glanced back down at Iruka with serious eyes. “And that my father is actually the head of the company? And after thinking about it, I didn’t want to be your typical ‘daddy’s boy’ and follow in his footsteps but instead wanted to be around books? And after his approval, I opened a bookstore afterwards, bought a lease on a furnished home, moved all my dogs, all the while I keep getting visits from friends who work at the company about how I should be ‘a better son and step up and take over my father’s company?’ What would you say to all of that?” he explained everything. At least, the short version.

Iruka looked back to Kakashi, his mouth slightly open and eyes peeled back a little wide, before bursting out with a loud cackle. “Hahahaha! I can see why you wanted to own your own bookstore! You’re so creative with your stories!”

Kakashi laughed anyways. Yeah, the story did seem a little too much out of a fiction book. But even some fiction was based on a fact. It didn’t bother him that the brunet didn’t believe him. For all he knew, Iruka could have been lying, too. It wasn’t about what the two were talking about but just that they were talking in general that lifted his spirits.

“Heheh, well, I should get going home,” Iruka wiped a tear from his eye as he sat back up. “Can you call me when you go with Pakkun to the vet?”

“Oh, sure,” Kakashi nodded as the two exchanged their numbers as they headed to the front door.

“Thanks again, Kakashi,” the brunet nodded his head a little as he opened the door. “You know, I like you better this way,” he turned back to the other guy. “Not the bumbling boy who seemed too nervous to ask for a first date,” he smirked.

Instantly, Kakashi’s cheeks reddened. “W-What?! What are you- I don’t quite exactly know what you-“ his words were silenced quickly as a pair of lips glanced over his for a brief second.

“I already told you. I’m not blind or oblivious. I can tell when someone is taking pity on me… or when someone seems to like me,” he smiled, just a hint devilishly before walking out of the door outside, leaving Kakashi with his thoughts.

Kakashi leaned back on the door frame, sporting a smug smirk as he watched the brunet leave. Down below, he heard a small bark and saw that Pakkun had rushed to the door to say goodnight as well. The man picked up the pug and scratched the top of his head before closing the door. 

‘…Am I really that obvious?’

**Author's Note:**

> Remember to leave a comment below, or at the [LJ post](http://kakairu-fest.livejournal.com/124314.html?mode=reply#add_comment)!


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